Statutory Rape

Statutory Rape is the criminal act of engaging in sexual activity with a minor. This is a strict liability crime, which means that even if the criminal suspect does not know that the person with whom he or she engages in sexual activity is a minor, the criminal suspect is still criminally liable. Consent will not negate the criminal liability either, as it is simply unlawful to engage in sexual activity with a minor. Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyers represent many criminal suspects charged with statutory rape. Fake identification, weak club security, indifferent bartenders, and indifferent wait staff make opportunities for accidental statutory rape very common in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Bouncers and doormen more often let young people into night clubs, bars, and other adult establishments, placing them into the market for unwary and unquestioning adults. To prove the criminal offense of Sexual Activity with a Minor, the State Attorney must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the victim was 16 or 17 years of age, that the criminal suspect was 24 years of age or older, and that the criminal suspect engaged in sexual activity with a minor in which the sexual organ of the criminal suspect or the victim penetrated or had union with the anus, vagina, or mouth of the other. Sexual activity does not include an act done for a bona fide medical purpose.

If you have been charged with Statutory Rape in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, or Miami Dade County, you should consult an experienced competent criminal defense attorney who can represent you in criminal court. Kenneth P. Hassett of Hassett and Associates, P.A. is a criminal defense attorney who represents clients in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Miami Dade County, and the rest of South Florida. Having a criminal defense lawyer to represent you in criminal court is advantageous, especially when charged with serious criminal offenses. Contact Hassett and Associates, P.A. for an immediate free consultation 24 hours per day seven days per week with a Statutory Rape Defense Lawyer if you have been charged with these criminal offenses.

The information on this page does not represent legal advice. Florida Statues obtained from Online Sunshine, www.leg.state.fl.us, the official site of the Florida Legislature. Because the law is continually changing, some of the provisions contained herein may be out of date. It is always wise to seek counsel from an experienced criminal attorney like Kenneth Hassett.

If you have been charged as an Accessory After the Fact or a Principal in the First Degree to a criminal offense in Broward or Miami-Dade County, call Criminal Defense Attorney Kenneth P. Hassett.